Conveyor systems have hitherto been utilized in drive-in banks to convey a deposit box or similar receptacle from a remote customer station to a teller station and return. Both pneumatic and belt-type conveyor systems have been utilized for this purpose, although the trend has been toward belt-type systems which are less expensive and easier to install and maintain. The belt-systems also lend themselves for uses in any application wherein it is desired to transport objects from one location to another. Examples of belt-type conveyor systems may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,010,824 and 4,645,035.
While conveyor systems of the types described above have materially enhanced the efficiency of drive-in banking facilities in that two, three or even more stations may be provided to accommodate the demand, it has now been recognized that similar principles of multiple station drive-in facilities can be applied to fast food operations and other similar drive-in facilities. In a conventional drive-in or drive-through restaurant facility, for example, an order station is provided in advance of the food dispensing station. The order station normally contains a menu board and a two-way communication system by means of which the customer's order may be given to an order clerk, whereupon the customer proceeds to the dispensing station, which is normally a window located a substantial distance from the order station so that a number of vehicles may be accommodated between the two stations.
The order clerk, upon receiving the customer's order, obtains the requested items from within the restaurant and packages them for delivery to the customer at the order window. Since the filling of an order may take an appreciable amount of time, depending upon the number and character of the items ordered, the procedure is often time consuming and during periods of high density traffic, substantial back-ups and delays can result. This is primarily due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to provide two or more dispensing windows in the building at locations where the motorist can drive up to the window to receive the items directly from an order clerk stationed within the building.
Another major disadvantage of present drive-in food service operations is the fact that the order clerk must also collect payment for the items ordered at the time they are delivered to the customer, which normally entails making change. This adds to the delay in moving customers through the drive-in lane.
In contrast to the foregoing, the present invention provides a system whereby the items being purchased may be delivered to the customer at one or more remote delivery stations so that two, three or even more lanes may be provided, each of which may be serviced from a central order processing station within the restaurant.